One rule of thumb in Gainesville, Florida is the month of MARCH means "GATORNATIONALS" at the Gainesville Raceway.   If you are looking for something exciting to experience, you must make this a family affair and get to the Gainesville Raceway this weekend.   The 2010 NHRA Gatornationals is roaring into town. March 11-14th, 2010  You can find extensive event information at these sites !                                 NHRA                      Gainesville Raceway   How To Purchase Tickets Individual event tickets may be purchased by calling the NHRA Ticket Office at 800-884-NHRA, on-line at Ticketmaster.com or at any Florida Ticketmaster outlet. This is the 41st Annual Gatornationals Event.   If you like it loud, fast, and fun.....this is a MUST SEE event in Gainesville, FL. If you can'... 03/10/2010

Gainesville, FL Real Estate - New Listing - 1407 Nw 99th Terrace, Gainesville, FL in Broadmoor Offered at $199,000 3 Bedrooms, 2 Bathrooms 1,677 Square Feet Bright and open 3 bedroom, 2 bathroom home on a quiet cul-de-sac. Close to I-75, schools, and shopping. This well maintained home is priced to sell! Private fenced backyard makes this home a must see! To see all of the photos and details, please visit our featured listing page in Broadmoor. For more information about selling a home near UF or another area in Gainesville, contact our expert team of Gainesville Realtors today! Also ask us about our full time Allison Ables and Associates Short Sale team! 03/08/2010

Gainesville, FL neighborhoods: Spotlight on Haile Village Center   Haile Plantation is an award-winning New Urbanism community in Gainesville, FL featuring mixed-use development, combining businesses, shops, and restaurants with housing at various price points. Haile Village hosts a Farmers Market every Saturday morning, rain or shine.  Haile Village abuts a Gary Player Signature golf course, which is part of the members-only Haile Plantation Golf and Country Club.  Zoned for Chiles Elementary School, Kanapaha Middle School, and Buchholz High School, Gainesville, FL's Haile Village Center is an 8 mile commute to Shands and the University of Florida.   Music: "Hear us Now" by scottaltham scottaltham / CC BY-NC 3.0 03/06/2010

The Model T Ford Winter Tour was in Gainesville, Florida this week   Something tells me the organizers of the Model T Ford Winter Tour had NO IDEA how cold it would be here in Gainesville FL when they booked their trip.   Yesterday I saw a parade of Model T Fords out on a joyride in Gainesville FL.....the riders were all huddled up in blankets.  Gives a whole new meaning to the phrase "cool car"!         Learn more about Gainesville, Florida Follow gainesvillelife on twitter 03/04/2010

Kanapaha Park in Gainesville, Florida offers something for everyone   Located at the intersection of Tower Road and SW 41st Place in Gainesville Florida, Kanapaha Park offers something for everyone - basketball courts, volleyball courts, baseball fields, soccer fields, playground, exercise trail....even a roller hockey rink! The Kanapaha Veterans Memorial, honoring Alachua County veterans from the Civil War onward, is a touching tribute to our soldiers. Beautiful and tranquil, 23-acre Kanapaha Park in Gainesville, Florida is not to be missed. Music: "Cidade Sol Sun Mix" by edgar_hagen edgar_hagen / CC BY-NC 3.0 03/03/2010

Gainesville, FL Real Estate - New Listing - 13616 SW 4th Lane Newberry, FL, in Jockey Club Offered at $597,000 5 Bedrooms, 3.5 Baths 4,115 Square Feet Grand, two story, estate home on an oversized one acre lot in Jockey Club. Two car garage, library, formal dining, second kitchen, hurricane safe room, and a two story screened in porch with balcony overlooking the pool complete the elegant and luxurious feel of this home. Wooded corner lot for privacy and sophistication. Two fireplaces and beautiful attention to detail make this custom home a must see! To see all of the photos and details, please visit our featured listing page in Jockey Club. For more information about selling a home near UF or another area in Gainesville, contact our expert team of Gainesville Realtors today! Also ask ... 03/03/2010

Gainesville, FL neighborhoods: Spotlight on The Preserve at Haile Plantation     Located less than 8 miles from UF and Shands, The Preserve at Haile Plantation features older homes with larger yards in a bucolic setting.  This southwest Gainesville neighborhood is zoned for Wiles Elementary School, Kanapaha Middle School, and Buchholz High School. Music: "The Light" by unreal_dm unreal_dm / CC BY-NC 3.0 03/01/2010

Gainesville, FL neighborhoods: Spotlight on Haile Plantation - Hampstead Park   Built around the mid-1990's, the Haile Plantation community of Hampstead Park in southwest Gainesville, FL is a white-picket-fenced neighborhood which rings a village green - in this case, Hampstead Park. The park features a gazebo, playground, picnic tables, and a wide open space where neighbors gather for impromptu games of football and ultimate frisbee. Located less than 8 miles from UF and Shands, the Hampstead Park neighborhood in Gainesville, FL's Haile Plantation is zoned for Chiles Elementary School, Kanapaha Middle School, and Buchholz High School. Music: "Biodiesel Family" by snowflake 2010 - Licensed under Creative Commons Sampling Plus 02/28/2010

Spotlight on Hickory Forest - Gainesville FL   One of southwest Gainesville's most popular neighborhoods, Hickory Forest offers its residents a pool, tennis courts, and clubhouse.  Hickory Forest is zoned for A-rated Wiles Elementary School, Kanapaha Middle School, and Buchholz High School, and is located only 5 miles from UF and Shands. The Hickory Forest clubhouse can be rented for events. If this is something you are interested in doing, please click on the link for information on renting the Hickory Forest clubhouse. Music: "Mirror Mirror" by unreal_dm unreal_dm / CC BY-NC 3.0 02/23/2010

Gainesville, FL neighborhoods: Spotlight on Kenwood   This southwest Gainesville neighborhood is characterized by older homes on larger lots.  Located just 5 miles from UF and Shands, the southwest Gainesville neighborhood of Kenwood is zoned for Wiles Elementary, Kanapaha Middle School, and Buchholz High School, and is located across the street from Kanapaha Park. Music: "Raindrops and Diamonds" by Kingbenny Kingbenny / CC BY 2.5 02/22/2010

Gainesville, FL neighborhoods: Cobblefield Cobblefield is a southwest Gainesville neighborhood by longtime builder G. W. Robinson. Featuring green homes with deluxe finishes, Cobblefield offers its residents a private pool and cabana, walking trails, and a playground. Zoned for Chiles Elementary School, Kanapaha Middle School, and Buchholz High School, the sought-after neighborhood of Cobblefield is less than 10 miles to UF and Shands. Music: "Where do We Go" by admiralbob77 ft:Calling Sister Midnight, Pitx admiralbob77 / CC BY-NC 3.0 02/19/2010

Gainesville, FL neighborhoods: Spotlight on Cambridge Forest   This is part of continuing series I began last year with Haile Plantation and Town of Tioga....bringing Gainesville, FL neighborhoods to life through video. Having moved 10? 11? times (I've lost count), and having lived in 6 different states, I always wanted more information on an area, beyond what the Chamber of Commerce could offer.  I wanted to get a "feel" for each place. I hope that these neighborhood videos will be helpful to you....if you think of anything I should add to each one, or if you have questions about a particular area that I have not answered here, please drop me a line and let me know!    An introductory bit about Cambridge Forest: Premiering in the 1990's, the southwest Gainesville neighborhood of Cambri... 02/18/2010

I loved the original, twenty five years ago....now the new version recorded Feb. 1, 2010 for Haiti.   I just watched this on YouTUBE.  It was wonderful.   I cried.   This is a song that will always be special in my lifetime. If you haven't seen this yet....take 8 minutes and listen & watch. 02/13/2010

Welcome to Broadmoor! This Northwest Gainesville neighborhood is zoned for A-rated schools: Hidden Oak Elementary School, Fort Clarke Middle School, and Buchholz High School. Broadmoor is about a 20 minute drive to UF and Shands. The Northwest Gainesville community of Broadmoor was built in the 1990's and features a community pool and clubhouse which may be rented out for events. Thirteen homes sold in the Broadmoor neighborhood this past year, ranging from $204,000 for a 4 bedroom/3 bathroom/1918 square foot home built in 1996 to $288,000 for a 4 bedroom/3 bathroom/2206 square foot home built in 2001. 02/12/2010

Haile Plantation Home Sales 4Q09 vs. 4Q08   Southwest Gainesville's Haile Plantation neighborhood is a popular place to buy a home. Here is a graphic rendering which shows the amount of homes sold in all of the Haile Plantation subdivisions for the 4th quarter of 2009 (October through December) vs. the 4th quarter of 2008.   This next graph compares the median prices of homes sold in all of the Haile Plantation subdivisions during the 4th quarter of 2009 (October through December) vs. the 4th quarter of 2008.       02/11/2010

Welcome to Cambridge Forest!   Just 15 minutes from UF and Shands, Cambridge Forest is a southwest Gainesville neighborhood featuring energy efficient homes built by G. W. Robinson.   This community features walking trails, a pond, and playground.  The community of Cambridge Forest is zoned for Chiles Elementary School, Kanapaha Middle School, and Buchholz High School.   Five homes sold in southwest Gainesville's Cambridge Forest during the past year, ranging from $362,000 for a 4 bedroom/2.5 bathroom/2712 square foot home built in 1993 to $520,000 for a 4 bedroom/3 bathroom/3250 square foot home built in 1999. 02/11/2010

Welcome to Cobblefield!         This premier southwest Gainesville neighborhood by builder G. W. Robinson boasts energy efficient, "green" luxury homes which sell from  the high-$200,000's and up.                               Sixteen homes sold in Cobblefield during the past year, ranging from $235,000 for a 3 bedroom/2 bathroom/1944 square foot home built in 2003 (short sale) to $550,000 for a 4 bedroom/3 bathroom/3687 square foot home built in 2007.       Community features include a private pool, cabana, and playground. Lot sizes range from 1/8 to 1 acre.  Winding roads throughout the neighborhood maximize green space and privacy. Cobblefield is zoned for Chiles Elementary School, Kanapaha Middle School, and Buchholz High School.   This southwest Gainesville neighborhood is just 15 ... 02/11/2010

Welcome to Valwood!   Zoned for A-rated Wiles Elementary School, Kanapaha Middle School, and Buchholz High School, Valwood is very popular because of its affordability and its walking distance to Kanapaha Middle School. Constructed in the late 1970's through the early 1980's, Valwood homes typically sell in the mid-$100,000's.   During 2009, 12 homes sold in Valwood. All of them were 3 bedrooms/2 bathrooms, and square footage ranged from 1200 square feet to upwards of 1500 square feet.  Sales prices ranged from $125,000 to $168,000. 02/10/2010

Welcome to Mentone!   This Southwest Gainesville community boasts energy-efficient homes built between 1998 and 2005 by Atlantic Design Builders.                                              Just 15 minutes to the University of Florida and only 10 minutes to Shands Hospital, the Mentone community has more than 340 homes and features a pool, soccer field, tennis court, clubhouse, and playground for its residents. They even maintain a Facebook page!                         Mentone is zoned for A-rated Wiles Elementary, Kanapaha Middle School, and Buchholz High School.     02/10/2010

Welcome to Hickory Forest!   One of Southwest Gainesville's most popular neighborhoods, the community of Hickory Forest is zoned for A-rated Kimball Wiles Elementary School, Kanapaha Middle School, and Buchholz High School.                      Hickory Forest boasts a community pool, tennis courts, and a clubhouse for its residents.                             Hickory Forest is comprised of homes built from the mid-1990's onward. Just 5 miles from the University of Florida and Shands Hospital, Hickory Forest offers easy access to all that Gainesville has to offer.       02/10/2010